


Five Times Ren Tried to Fluster Natsuki and One Time He Succeeded

by pastpassages



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 07:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16990524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastpassages/pseuds/pastpassages
Summary: It occurs to Ren suddenly.Has he ever seen Natsuki shy?





	1. Chapter 1

It occurs to Ren in an otherwise normal moment, he and Natsuki cuddling after a long day of work. He doesn't know what brought the realization on, but all of a sudden it's there: he's not sure he's ever seen Natsuki shy or unsure in the face of affection.

Ren, on the other hand, was shy and unsure _all the time_. With every little gift from Natsuki, every meal cooked, Ren drew into himself embarrassed and filled with love.

It was different, when Ren was in front of an audience, or with his hordes of female fans. One wink had them swooning, falling over themselves.

Ren wonders what it would take, for Natsuki to have that same shyness. He decides, stroking Natsuki's hair protectively, that he wanted to see what it would take.

***

His first attempt was a classic: roses. He corners Natsuki in the dorm hallways one day, an overflowing bouquet in hand.

“For my beloved, a flower that pales in comparison to your beauty,” he says, making his tone and expression as flirtatious as he can.

Natsuki looks surprised, and touched. “Wow, these are for me?” He took the bouquet, struggling a little to hold it comfortably, and inhales deeply, taking in the scent. “They're beautiful, Ren-kun! I'll have to get a really big vase for them…” He looked at Ren, and his eyes shine with an idea. “I know what would make them even more beautiful though!”

“What's that?”

Natsuki takes a rose from the bouquet, and gently places it in Ren's hand. “If I got to see them next to your smiling face.” He beams.

Ren tries to hide his blush in the roses. It doesn’t work.

***

The next attempt comes to him on a whim, just after they record a new song. Maybe if he catches Natsuki unaware he'll see his shy side?

So as everyone is chatting, he puts his hand on Natsuki's shoulder to get his attention. Natsuki turns to him with a “Ren-kun?” and Ren moves his hand to the back of Natsuki's neck, pulls him in, kisses him. He ignored the sounds of shock and consternation from Syo and Masato, and tries to pull back-

Only Natsuki grabs him and pulls him back in, making the kiss deeper, and Ren can only go with it.

Eventually Natsuki breaks the kiss, then plants another, more chaste one on Ren's forehead.

“What a wonderful present for finishing the song!” Natsuki says.

Ren sighs and smiles at him.

***

Ren leaves the note on Natsuki's diary, where he knew he'd find it at the end of the day.

_Meet me in the dance rooms after work. I have a surprise for you._

He's busy setting up the music when Natsuki arrives. He turns around when he hears a “Ren-kun?”, flipping the music on on his way. As it starts he strides over to Natsuki and holds out his hand.

Natsuki stares for a second, then smiles and takes his hand. The two of them move into positions, Ren taking the lead, and begin dancing together. It's quiet, and slow, and full of tenderness. Ren hopes he's conveying just how much he loves Natsuki with his movements, because he feels that love every time he looks at him.

When he reaches a natural point to do it, Ren dips Natsuki low, and kisses him. Natsuki returns the kiss, all sweetness, then pulls back.

Then he grins, and from the dip, pulls Ren down onto the floor, the two of them landing with a great “whoomp!” and tangled limbs. Once Ren gets his bearings back, he glares, not really mad, at Natsuki, who still is grinning.

“Did you have to do that?” Ren asks.

“I just couldn't help it, I wanted to be even closer to you,” Natsuki says. “I wanted to hold you as close as possible and never let go of you, never.”

Ren flushes, burying his face in Natsuki's neck, who laughs and pets Ren's hair.

***

Ren spots a chocolatier on his way back from an interview and quickly decides on his next move. He jogs into the shop and talks with the person at the counter, his plan coming together quickly.

A few days later, he’s holding a delicately packaged box of chocolates, trying to find Natsuki. Usually he would be in the kitchens or wandering the grounds on his day off, but Ren hadn’t been able to find him. He had resorted to aimlessly wandering around the dorm building, hoping to run across him by chance, but stops when he hears energetic music coming from Syo and Natsuki’s room.

_Of course_ , he thinks. _Syo must have gotten him to watch something together…_

Ren gathers up his courage (not having expected an audience), walks over to the door and knocks. Luckily, it’s Natsuki that answers. (Ren can see Syo pausing what looks to be an episode of one of Hyuga’s dramas in the background, looking vaguely, but not really, annoyed.) Before Natsuki can say anything, Ren holds out the box of chocolates, smiling softly. “Something for you, Shinomi. I had them specially made.”

Natsuki takes the box, looking curious, and opens it. Inside he finds the custom chocolates Ren had ordered, filled with all the eccentric flavors that Natsuki loved to throw into his own cooking. “Wow, this is amazing, Ren-kun!” He takes one, pops it into his mouth. “Mm, they’re delicious!”

Ren smiles wider, glad that Natsuki liked his gift. “I saw the chocolatier and thought of you.”

Through a mouthful of chocolate, Natsuki says “Thanks!” He takes another chocolate, holds it out to Ren. “Here, you should try one, too!”

Ren holds out his hand to take the chocolate, but Natsuki shakes his head with a little smile, and holds the chocolate to Ren’s face. Ren realizes what he’s going for and opens his mouth, letting Natsuki feed him the chocolate. It’s delicious, just like Natsuki said. Just a little bit of bitterness to complement the sweetness.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Ren was acting strange lately, Natsuki had noticed. He was flirting more overtly, making more big romantic gestures. It wasn't that Natsuki didn't like that, it just...had him worried. It reminded him a little too much of their academy days, with hordes of girls fawning over Ren, who was turning up the charm to drown out his self-loathing.

The day after the chocolates, Ren had told Natsuki to meet him in the kitchens, and to wear something comfortable. Natsuki was maybe more apprehensive than he should be, but he made his way to the kitchens at the time Ren asked.

He found Ren standing at the counter, putting the finishing touches on what looked like sandwiches. Ren looked up as Natsuki entered the room.

“Ah, Shinomi! Here, come help me finish the basket.” Ren moved to put the sandwiches into a woven picnic basket, and Natsuki walked over to him. The two of them fit the last bits of food in, then placed a blanket on top and closed up the basket. Ren took the basket, then Natsuki's hand, and smiled at him.

“Come on,” he said. “Follow me.”

Natsuki did. Apparently Ren had planned a picnic for the two of them. Natsuki was touched, but still worried. “Ren-kun-”

Ren turned, holding a finger to his lips. “Shh. No questions. Let me take care of it.” Natsuki complied.

Ren leads them over the agency grounds, past the bandstand, into the small forest.

They finally stop under a tree on a small hill, and Ren lets go of Natsuki's hand to lay down the blanket and put the food out. Natsuki sits down in an empty spot, watching him work. Once Ren has everything set out, he holds out a sandwich for Natsuki, who takes it and bites into it quietly. The two of them sit in the silence for a while, watching the clouds and small animals that came to try and steal the food. Natsuki gives a particularly forward squirrel a piece of his sandwich, and watches as it takes it back into the trees.

“Ren, this is very sweet of you,” Natsuki says.

Ren shrugs. “You've seemed on edge lately. I wanted to help.” He turns and smiles at Natsuki, with just a little too much charm. “I thought this would do it.”

Natsuki sighs and puts down his sandwich. “Ren,” he says, “I...the reason I've been on edge the past while is because I'm worried about you.”

Ren stops in the middle of chewing, draws his brows together in confusion. He swallows, then speaks. “Why would you be worried about me?”

Natsuki doesn't know how to say it without hurting Ren in some way, so he watches Ren's face for a reaction as he explains. “All these things you've been doing...the roses, the chocolate, the dancing, they're... they're a little…” he pauses, struggling to find the words. Ren's expression tightens, not much, but just enough that Natsuki knows he needs to push forward. “It's not that I don't like them! They're very sweet, and it's wonderful that you'd think to do it for me, but…”

“But?” Ren asks.

Natsuki sighs. “It also...it reminds me of you back at the academy. When you'd be flirting, constantly, and making big romantic scenes, and…” Natsuki pauses again. “And when you felt the worst about yourself.”

Ren is silent.

“So! So, I really liked everything you did, but just...there was so much of it, and they were  _so_ sweet that, um. I started to wonder if you're feeling down on yourself again. Because I don't want that, Ren.” He looks Ren in the eyes. “You're wonderful, and I'm so lucky to have you, and I want you to know how wonderful you are too.”

Ren looks at Natsuki, then looks down. He reaches toward Natsuki and Natsuki grabs his hand, firmly, he hopes comfortingly.

“I... didn't mean that. And I don't think I'm feeling worse?” Ren says. “It's just…” he looks away from Natsuki. “You're always so kind, and you seem to know just what to do to make me blush, to make me shy, but I never seem to do the same to you.” He pauses. Natsuki rubs his hand gently. “So, uh. I guess I started to wonder...how I could do that. And that's what the chocolates, and the roses, all of that was.” He chuckled. “I guess I was feeling down on myself a little.”

Natsuki gives Ren a moment, to make sure he doesn't need to say anything else. Then Natsuki pulls Ren in to hug him, tight, as tight as he can. “I'm sorry, Ren.”

“What are you apologizing for?” says Ren, a little out of breath.

Natsuki lets up on the hug a little, but doesn't let Ren go. “I guess because I made you feel bad?” He says. “I just can't help myself when I want to hug you, or feed you, or anything else. And you're so cute when you're blushing!” He pulls back, and sees that Ren has flushed. “See, like that! It's the cutest! But I didn't realize that you didn't want to feel like that.”

“It's not that exactly…” Ren says. “I don't mind when you do that, it's just...you never blush. Or seem shy. You're always in control.”

Natsuki pauses and thinks. “Huh...I guess so!” He pauses again. “I don't know how to fix that though.”

Ren pulls back and thinks to himself. Natsuki lets him-he certainly doesn't want to overwhelm Ren now.

“I think,” Ren says. “I think the issue here is that when I feel like you're always in control of yourself, of your emotions...I wonder if you still love me as much as I do you. Because I can't see it as clearly as you can.”

“Oh, Ren,” Natsuki says. “I do love you. And I don't know if I can make myself blush when you do something nice for me or anything like that...but just know that all those things I did when you got me roses and chocolates, those were because I love you. That was me not being able to control myself.”

Ren smiles, and moves to lay himself in Natsuki’s lap. Natsuki makes way for him to be comfortable. Looking up at Natsuki, he says, “I’ll try to remember that.”

Natsuki runs his hand through Ren’s hair. “Maybe I should say I love you more often too...just to make sure you know.” He leans farther over Ren. “I can start right now.”

Ren laughs. “I don’t know if I could handle that.”

Natsuki grins and says, “I love you, Ren.” Then he kisses Ren’s forehead, says “I love you.” Kisses his nose, says “I love you.” He does this to every inch of Ren’s face he can get to, at least until Ren flushes fully and starts pushing him away, Natsuki laughing all the while. But then Ren stops and stares up at Natsuki and pulls him down for a kiss.

Their picnic lasts until sunset, and it’s one of the best days off Natsuki’s had in a long while.

*****

It happens when Ren isn’t expecting it to.

The two of them are getting ready with everyone else in the greenroom before a group interview, and it’s as calm as normal-which is to say, not at all. Ren spots Natsuki’s tie done not quite correctly, and calls him over with a soft “Shinomi.” Natsuki stands in front of him, and Ren firmly does his tie up properly, then pats down his sleeves, adjusts his cuffs. He squeezes Natsuki’s hands and smiles at him, a little bit of pre-show jitters showing. “Good luck out there.”

Natsuki flushes, just a little. Then the stage hand calls them out, and Natsuki has to force it down and ignore it so the interviewer doesn’t tease him about it.

Later though, at home, he doesn’t stop hugging Ren for hours.


End file.
